Ponte Meier (o Ponte Cittadella)

via Pavia - 15121 Alessandria (AL)
Collega via Pavia ed il Lungo Tanaro

A bridge has connected Alessandria, initially with the district of Bergoglio and later with its Citadel, an eighteenth century fortress, since the Middle Ages. The current bridge, built between 2012 and 2016, is a highly contemporary piece of architecture.
The design was entrusted to the American architect Richard Meier who proposed a single 185m+ span bowstring arch bridge.
Meier presented the project underlining that it was not just about “creating a connection between one bank and the other, but of connecting the two parts of the town to one another”.


The plan includes a single span, comprising three main elements: the arch, the platform for pedestrian transit and the platform for vehicle transit, separated from one another. These elements are curved around a single empty space “shaped like an almond” and are interconnected through beams and steel cables that constitute the structural model. The maximum height is about 32.5 m that makes the work imposing and visible from a distance, but its soft shape creates a vision of lightness and transparency, thanks also to the white colour of the steel that clearly contrasts with the natural tones of the river.
The architect was particularly attentive to the needs of citizens, dividing the carriageway dedicated to cars from the pedestrian and cycle walkway, a true "walk" in wood that allows to enjoy the landscape of the river and to admire the Citadel.
In agreement with the Archaeological Heritage office, the remains of the shoulders of the old bridge, much loved by the residents of the town, have been retained. The base of the spans are visible in the riverbed.

The pedestrian walkway is highly recommended, above all for photography lovers.